Part 60 (1/2)

The sergeantthe citizen agent's orders to the soldiers The dis was carried on in wonderful silence--for silence had been one of the principal commands--only one or tords reached her ears

”First section and first half of second section fall in, right wheel

First section each take two horses on the lead Quietly now there; don't tug at his bridle--let hio”

And after that a simple report:

”All ready, citizen!”

”Good!” was the response ”Now detail your corporal and two lishman in irons, and take hiuard at the doors of the other coach”

The necessary orders were given, and after that there caeant, with his squad and all the horses, was slowly ht The horses' hoofs hardly made a noise on the soft carpet of pine-needles and of dead fallen leaves, but the cha of the bits was of course audible, and now and then the snorting of so for its stable

Souerite's fevered mind this departure of a squad ofof her last hope; the slow agony of the fa away aiven his last orders Percy, helpless and probably unconscious, would spend the night in that dank chapel, while she and Armand would be taken back to Crecy, driven to death like sorey daould first begin to peep through the branches of the pines Percy would be led back to Paris and the guillotine, and she and Are of brutes

The end had cohting, scheet to her husband; she wanted to be near him now that death was so ie it all, quite calmly, just as she knew that Percy would wish her to do The inevitable end was there, and she would not give to these callous wretches here the gratuitous spectacle of a despairing woainst adverse Fate

But she wanted to go to her husband She felt that she could face death more easily on the morrow if she could but see him once, if she could but look once more into the eyes that had mirrored so much enthusiasm, such absolute vitality and whole-hearted self-sacrifice, and such an intensity of love and passion; if she could but kiss once h life, and would smile, she knew, even in the face of death

She tried to open the carriage door, but it was held fro her to sit still

But she could lean out of theand strain her eyes to see They were by now accustoue forhouls in the shadows The other coach was not far, and she could hear Heron's voice, still subdued and calm, and the curses of the men But not a sound from Percy

”I think the prisoner is unconscious,” she heard one of the e, then,” was Heron's curt coates”

Marguerite saw it all Theanother one, which appeared heavy and inert, out of the coach, and carrying it staggering up towards the chapel

Then the forms disappeared, sed up by the ed in with it, immovable as the stone itself

Only a feords reached her now

”He is unconscious”

”Leave hiates!”

There was a loud clang, and Marguerite gave a piercing screae door

”Aro to him!” she cried; and all her self-control, all her enforced cal passion

”Let et me to hi,” caht ”Put her and the other prisoner in irons--quick!”